Makes › AC › 289 Sports (Mk III UK-market Cobra) · Rare production · 1966–1969 Ultra Rare
AC
289 Sports (Mk III UK-market Cobra)
British-market coil-sprung, small-block Cobra sold by AC after Shelby production; chassis COX 6101–6127
Still being researched: full specifications. Everything shown is checked against the cited sources. Know more? Send us a source.
Contents
01Overview
At a glance
- Built
- 25 Built
- Years
- 1966–1969
- Engine
- Overhead-valve V-8 (Ford 289) · 4,740 cc / 4.7 LFactory: 289 cu in · converted
- Power
- 202 kW / 275 PSFactory: 271 hp · converted
- Top speed
- Not yet verified
- Body
- Not yet verified
- Designer
- Alan Turner (AC) and Bob Negstadt (Shelby American) – Mk III coil-spring chassis
- In this archive
- Not yet verified
- Surviving
- Not yet verified
Sources and any conflicting figures are in the sections below.
Why it matters
The 289 Sports was AC's own continuation of the small-block Cobra after Shelby's involvement ended, built on the coil-sprung Mk III chassis but with the narrow-wing body. Because Ford owned the Cobra name, these cars were sold without snake badging, and only 25 complete examples were delivered, making it one of the scarcest Cobra derivatives.
How rare is it?
Six separate kinds of rarity – never combined into one number.
Each kind of rarity is rated separately and never combined.
02Production & history
Production
Every figure says what it counts.
| What is counted | Figure | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total model productioncomplete examples delivered Apr 1966–Feb 1969 | 251 | Factory production | Independently researched |
Independent counts (e.g. engine and colour) are never combined into a calculated figure. Surviving examples are never presented as original production.
History
The Mk III chassis with independent coil-spring suspension was developed by AC's Alan Turner together with Shelby American engineer Bob Negstadt and Ford engineers. When Shelby's big-block production ended in 1967, AC kept the coil-spring chassis in production, pairing it with the slimmer narrow-wing body and the 289 cu in Ford V-8. Cars were built in right- and left-hand drive, the latter for European export, and were marketed as the AC 289 Sports. Deliveries ran from April 1966 to February 1969, with two further cars sold incomplete.
Variants
How each version differs from the standard 289 Sports (Mk III UK-market Cobra).
No variants documented yet. Have a source? Contribute it.
03Specifications
Technical specifications
Engine
| Engine family | Not yet verified |
|---|---|
| Engine code | Not yet verified |
| Layout | Overhead-valve V-8 (Ford 289)2 Independently researched |
| Displacement | 4,740 cc / 4.7 LFactory: 289 cu in · converted2 Independently researched |
| Bore | Not yet verified |
| Stroke | Not yet verified |
| Compression ratio | Not yet verified |
| Fuel system | Not yet verified |
| Power | 202 kW / 275 PSFactory: 271 hp · converted2 Independently researchedSource states bhp (brake horsepower, mechanical). |
| Power at | Not yet verified |
| Torque | Not yet verified |
Transmission & drivetrain
| Gearbox | Four-speed manual2 Independently researched |
|---|---|
| Gears | Not yet verified |
| Driven wheels | Not yet verified |
Chassis, body & dimensions
| Chassis | Not yet verified |
|---|---|
| Front suspension | Not yet verified |
| Rear suspension | Not yet verified |
| Brakes | Not yet verified |
| Steering | Not yet verified |
| Body construction | Not yet verified |
| Wheelbase | 2,286 mmFactory: 2,286 mm2 Independently researched |
| Length | Not yet verified |
| Width | Not yet verified |
| Height | Not yet verified |
| Front track | Not yet verified |
| Rear track | Not yet verified |
| Kerb weight | Not yet verified |
| Dry weight | Not yet verified |
Performance
| Maximum speed | Not yet verified |
|---|---|
| 0–100 km/h | Not yet verified |
| Fuel tank | Not yet verified |
“Not yet verified” means no source has been checked for that value yet. Nothing is estimated to fill a gap.
04Colours & options
Factory colours & interiors
Original paint and trim, with the number of cars in each where a source gives it.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Factory options & codes
Codes are shown exactly as written by the manufacturer.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
05Individual cars
Chassis register
Every documented car, with its colours, history and where it is now. Open a row for the full record. Known chassis are not automatically authenticated originals.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Competition history
Every race result of the individual cars, in date order. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Auction & sale history
Documented public sales of the individual cars. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
See one in person
Museums where an example of this car can be seen.
No example is documented on public display yet. Have a source? Contribute it.
06Reference
Identification guide
How to tell an original from a replica or later conversion.
Genuine cars carry UK-series chassis numbers in the 6101–6127 range with a COB (Cobra Britain) or COX (Cobra eXport) prefix, unlike the CSX numbers of Shelby-bound cars. They combine the coil-spring Mk III chassis with the narrow-wing (small-block style) body, and were delivered without Cobra snake badging.
Sources
Each number links to the exact facts it supports.
-
1
RM Sotheby's lot catalogue: 1967 AC 289 Sports 'Cobra' (London 2016) Level B
- 25 complete examples delivered Apr 1966–Feb 1969
-
2
1967 AC 289 Sports (Cobra) – Lot 173, London 2016 Level B RM Sotheby's
- 289 cu. in. OHV V-8 engine
- 271 bhp, 289 cu. in. OHV V-8 engine
- four-speed manual transmission
- wheelbase 2,286 mm
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